An All-Consuming Century. After World War II, the social and economic conditions were ideal breeding grounds for a consumerist mindset and behavior. As economic historian Winifred Wandersee notes, To many families a radio, the latest movie a pack of cigarettes, or the daily newspaper were as necessary to the family well-being as food, clothing, and shelter (Cross). Remember the days when there was just Myspace? In the three-quarters of a century since this shift in consumerist attitudes occurred, we have only just begun to see the potential economic, environmental, and psychological impacts of constantly striving to ''keep up with the Joneses.''. Consumerism is the theory that individuals who consume goods and services in large quantities will be better off. Ad agencies helped their TV-sponsor clients pick the shows that would air and decide on the content. New technologies such as Television fitted well into the home, as a simpler, cheaper, and more convenient family leisure activity. By 1959, TV commercials could reach 90 percent of all U.S. households, the only medium with that capability. Consuming Behavior: Women and Shopping. Two-toned cars finished in colors such as Sunset Coral and Seafoam Green sported tailfins, wrap-around windshields, and flashy, chrome trim. Huddleston, Patricia and Stella Minahan. Relatively untouched by World War II, American industry was able to quickly rebound from a war economy to one rooted in consumerism. Consumer needs were constantly changing due to wars, shifts in the economy, advancements in technology and various other factors. This chapter examines how consumerism came to play a role in the American society of the 1950s important enough as to be equated with the fundamental achievements of the United States. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Others were filthy. Stores carried everything from portable televisions and pocket-sized radios to space-age toys and plastic dinnerware sets. In the spirit of the holiday consumerism propaganda, and the overall joy of buying Christmas presents, a glance back at advertisement propaganda and consumerism culture back in the 1950's reveals that America's target consumers weren't mostly frenzied parents and adults - it was females. Jobs were plentiful, wages were higher, and because of the lack of consumer goodsduring the war, Americans were eager to spend. In 1955, GM became the first U.S. corporation to earn more than $1 billion a year. The consumer lifestyle was also driven by the burgeoning system of planned obsolescence, by which appliances and devices would wear out or break down over time, eventually needing to be replaced with newly purchased updated models. By 1960, about 10,000 miles of interstate highway had been constructed. His place became very popular, especially among the men. // cutting the mustard Sure, we have plenty of offensive ads today, but few hold a candle to the callous ads of the good ol days.. Business and political leaders claimed consumerism was more than shopping: it defined the benefits of capitalism. by Jenna | Mar 6, 2017 | Content | Social Media | Email, Blog, Branding | Graphic Design, Marketing. Join us in an attempt to find out whether the artistic critique of consumerism is powerful enough to fight it, as well as the institutions behind it. Advertising also contributed to radio's and TV's most successful eras. Driven by a thriving postwar economy, designers utilized bold styling to transform everyday objects into visually expressive items, and manufacturers unleashed an array of products to keep pace with demand. Labor and civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph argued that equality of opportunity could not be left to the marketplace. Glickman, Lawrence B. She holds a Masters Degree in Teaching Middle Grades Social Studies and Science from Mercer University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Emory University. Critics contend that consumerism creates a narcissistic culture. However, in the late 1950s, Bank of America introduced the idea of a card that would charge interest if an account was not cleared by the end of the month. Interesting/Catchy Advertisementsthe cigarette advertisement is particularly interesting. Buying Power: A History of Consumer Activism in America. The 1920s and the 1950s were times of substantial growth and economic prosperity. Despite joblessness and wartime austerity, ordinary Americans held tight to old consuming habits and dreams. such as gas stations, motels, and restaurants, which sprang up at interstate exits. Sinatra, Elvis. In 1933, Arthur Kallet, director of Consumers Research, and Frederick Schlink, an engineer published 100,000 Guinea Pigs: Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics. In 1936, the Consumers Union, a union owned and controlled by organized consumers, was founded. Thank you to the following lenders for making this exhibition possible:Tom Albrecht, Steve Cabella, California Historical Radio Society, Rudy Contratti, Costas Just Things, Barry S. Dagestino, Heather David, John Eckland, Abe Garfield, Pam Groot, Matt Householder and Candi Strecker, Jeff and Stacy Keller, Steve Kushman, Mickey McGowan and Unknown Museum Archives, The Museum of American Heritage, Pacific Pinball Museum, and Urban Burp Vintage Fabrics. Even though economic collapse in the 1930s and diversion of commodities to the war effort in the 1940s dramatically reduced personal spending, American business continued to seek new ways and new things to sell to consumers (Cross). Getting gas at full service stations took longer. This department store took window shopping to a new level with a machine called the Tell-it-to. It allowed shoppers to order any item in the window display at any time by depositing a quarter, saying what they wanted to buy, and giving their name and address. The industrial structures that had first given rise to mass production in the late 19th century and been amplified by the need for rapid manufacture of goods for the war effort during the 1940s were now repurposed to provide luxury goods and convenience items for the rising American middle class. Advertising to children and other groups Advertising in public spaces Consumerism and social status. March 01, 2023. Post-war consumerism reflected the traditional values promoted by politicians and popular culture. Production and consumption accompanied with U.S. involvement in WWII helped bring the U.S. out of the Depression. Tag along for a peek into advertising in the 1950s and 1960s. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. It accomplished this feat by producing and selling as many cars as all of its competitors produced combined. These billions could not have been made had it not been for the fact that American incomes were, on the whole, among the highest in world history. Between 12th and 14th Streets Advertisements during the Great Depression, like advertisements from the previous decade, were highly gendered. Cohen, Lizabeth. The Modern Consumer 1950s Products and Style. African American History Curatorial Collective. The agreement guaranteed that GM workers would receive regular wage hikes tied to a. During the depression those that could buy would, those who could not would not; at the dawning of WWII Americans were encouraged to purchase some items and not purchase others, along with contribute to funding the war effort. The advertising industry pushed celebrity endorsements; Loretta Young inconspicuously promoted detergent, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz smoked their sponsor's cigarettes, and Frank Sinatra sang about shampoo. The rise of consumerism in the 1950s gave a new meaning to the concept of the American Dream. This rising tide of consumerism was encouraged by the burgeoning medium of TV advertising, which in the 1950s was able to reach into the homes and minds of American citizens en masse for the first time. Some TV shows, likeThe GoldbergsandThe Honeymooners, catered to working- and middle-class viewers with storylines about ethnic families. After WWII ended the drive to consume more coupled with the growing availability of televisions, made for an advertisers paradise. } Television and consumerism In the 1950s the nature of advertising changed, and new critiques of advertising and consumption emerged. The affordability of consumer goods was another critical piece of the ''American Dream'' lifestyle. Monopoly is Americas favorite board game, a love letter to unbridled capitalism and our free market society. Men were treated very differently in 1950s advertising. It became based on the idea of single-family ownership of a home filled with convenience items like. Unlock the full power of Audience Targeting. (Enter your ZIP code for information on American Experience events and screening in your area.). Another new service industry, the motel chain, was inspired by a summer driving trip. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. The Great Society Programs & Lyndon B. Johnson | What was the Great Society? Americans did not mind this lack of goods because it was all for the good of the war effort but it often left them with more money than they could spend. Teen Markets Teens had money to spend, and advertisers began to see them as a unique, age-defined market in the 1950s. Advertisers played up TV's capacity for action with animation. The two decades led to historical breakthroughs as well as setbacks; they are imperative to the history of the United States. In today's highly competitive world of advertising, the ability to connect with the right audience is paramount to success. The effect today is the same as it was 70 years ago - people couldn't wait to go buy new things so they could be like the people on TV! Consumerism on TV: Popular Media from the 1950s to the Present. He has since founded his own financial advice firm, Newton Analytical. Credit was easy. The biggest and best-known manufacturing company was the automaker General Motors. At Frank's place you could get in and out in a flash. In 1952, Mr. Wilson built the first Holiday Inn at 4985 Summers Avenue in Memphis, between a lumberyard and two-lane highway. Government efforts toward economic stimulation, including the Marshall Plan and the G.I. Its amazing to see how much the visual aesthetic evolved as a result of the changing times. They clung to their luxuries or longed for their return. Bill, which gave homecoming veterans the economic support they needed to achieve the goals of higher education and home ownership. 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